Unit 1 – Improving Productivity

Alanta Buss

Instructions ~ 100 words per box

1.1Why did you use a computer? What other systems / resources could you have used?

I used presentation on the computer as it would be easier to present, I also used computer because it is easier to use, and easier to get pictures, information and links. Other things you could of used, is white boards, open speech. We could also present it by handing out leaflets. However that would be bad because it is wasting money, and spending loads of time writing it and printing it off, however we could have promoters that hand out leaflets, but we could just use an presentation and gather people around in the local areas around. I used a computer because it is easier to get access to presentation and it is easier to save and edit things, once you’ve made a presentation you can keep and re-using it.

1.2What skills did you need to learn in order to use PowerPoint?

I needed to learn how to research and use the internet, I also needed to learn how to use hyperlinks, how to copy and paste, you would also need to know how to make a new slide, and how to use it. You will also need to have computer skills, you will need to have good timing skills. You will need to be well organised. You will need ICT skills, and good co-ordination skills and time management skills, so you can finish on time or on dead lines.

1.2What resources did you need to make the presentation successful?

To complete my powerpoint on Smiths Wood Sports College I needed a computer power point software, I also needed, internet explorer to research and to get google images, of the school. However I needed the soft wear that was provided on the computer to collect pictures, videos and attachments. However I needed the internet to get things such as moving pictures. We also need videos sound. We could have had books to help us. I used a smiths wood leaflet.

1.4What factors might have affected how well you completed the presentation? (e.g. time / attendance / knowledge of software)

It could have been better if I paid attention more in my work, and concentrate. It takes me time to research and to know where everything is. However it took me time to find where things were and how to use them such as the timer for the power point slide. This confused me and it was messing about, when I tried to download sounds, it would say that I put a sound on there and it wouldn’t work. It would also help if the animation would work, it took most of the time. The time was a bit to much because it dragged on loads, so I thought had loads of time to do my work so id take my time and do less work. However when we had two lessons left I got it done all the work.

1.6Why did you use PowerPoint to make your presentation? What other software was available? Why did you choose not to use them?

I used PowerPoint presentation because there are different slides and different topics I needed to make, however if you was on word, it would be very hard to present in front of the new year 7 parents. Where as if it was powerpoint you can click onto a new slide, and change topic. It is also easier to put pictures on the slide and sounds and videos. Word is very hard to use within things such as pictures. We could of used word but it would have been harder to produce and it would be quite boring full of words. Not as many animations and pictures as you would be able to on PowerPoint. We could of used leaflets but it would have been longer, and you have to print and photo copying loads of leaflets to send home. I also could of used a programme called Prezi, however this wasn’t available on the school website, and school would have had to buy it and they didn’t want to.

2.2Which tools within PowerPoint made it appropriate for your presentation?

I used at least 7 tools such as insert, because I inserted shapes, pictures and text boxes it was very useful. When I used shapes it helped me be creative and think out of the box you could also put text boxes inside the shapes. I used design to use a red background so I could represent the school and their features. I have used transitions to make the power point interesting and to make the PowerPoint look different e.g. you could use swipe and your slide will swipe onto the screen. I used animations when words come onto the screen or pictures they can fade onto the screen.

1.7Were there any legal constraints or local constraints that changed the way you created your presentation? (e.g. copyright, file sizes, AUP)

Every time I used a picture I had to write where I had got it from e.g. I got some pictures from the shared area on the computer or google images, or smiths wood website. However when I used animations or videos I had got them off the shared area on the computer I wrote that underneath on the comments. We had to make sure if we got a picture of somebody, we had to get permission to see if we could use the picture for our presentation. The other people had to get permission of the people who they were taking a picture of.

2.4What improvements do you think you could do to your presentation?

I would improve, have less slides make it more simple.I would have more pictures and less writing and more videos of the school.More videos instead of writing.More animations instead of normal pictures to make it interesting and simple.Put more input into my work. More sounds to make things easier less talking through the presentation. Different fonts to make things stand out event though mine was colour suited.

3.2What improvements do you think you could have done to improve your work rate?(keyboard shortcuts, file names & locations, backups, work after school, templates, planning)

To improve my work I could of stayed behind at school, and use more of my concentration, however I could of used short cuts to complete my work, but I only found out the shortcuts when I had finished my work. I could of focused more. However I did lose my work I should of put my work in a safe folder and made sure I had saved it properly.